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3D printing in schools is a very important concept, both today and going forward. 3D printing in our schools teaches students skills invaluable to the STEM field, including math, engineering, and problem solving. Not only that, but the hands-on nature of 3D printing gets students passionate about math and science, and passion isn't something that can ever be replaced.

One of the biggest ways in which 3D printing is an advantage to students is in its teaching of hands-on problem solving skills. Depending on the project, coming up with parts to be 3D printed might require many hours of planning. For items with moving or interlocking parts, each piece must be engineered to work in tandem with other parts, and along the way, students learn how to solve the mechanical problems inherent to whatever project they've chosen.

Along with this, students can also learn valuable math skills applicable in all levels of school, whether elementary, middle, or high school. For elementary school students, 3D printing can help teach concepts like shapes, angles, and the relationship of objects in space. The printing of gears can help teach young students how objects might interlock to help make a machine. For high school students, 3D printing can help model more complex mathematical relationships and help sharpen visual-spatial skills.

3D printing in high schools can also help to get kids revved up for programming. Software engineering is among one of the fastest-growing STEM fields, and with the addition of hobbyist microprocessors like the raspberry pi, anyone can use a 3D printer to do a robotics project. Whether it's a remote control robot traveling on tank treads or a quadcopter, 3D printers make robotics projects accessible to students of all levels, something that wasn't possible before their advent. Parts can be fabricated, tested, and put into production, all without a lot of cost or difficulty.

One can't underestimate the passion students cultivate while working hands-on with 3D printing technologies. Manipulating physically printed objects is far more engaging than just viewing them on paper, which helps teach younger children that math and science are interesting. For older students, robotics are a classic way to get high-schoolers engaged with programming, and the younger they start, the more likely they are to continue.

STEM fields will only continue to grow in the coming years, and for that reason, 3D printers in schools are going to become a vital piece of the technology puzzle. The mathematics, programming, and problem-solving skills they teach will only help to prepare them for careers later in life.

The younger children realize they are interested in math and science, the more they have time to learn before getting into the workforce. It's a very powerful tool, and one that will only help to turn today's students into tomorrow's STEM field masterminds.